This editorial is the first in a series of recommendations on California ballot measures and elections for state offices on the Nov. 6 ballot.

Proposition 12 on the November California ballot would provide bigger cages for farm animals.

In addition to placing specific size requirements on coops and cages for animals, it would also require all egg-laying hens be raised in “cage-free” conditions by 2022. Moreover, businesses in California would be prohibited from selling any food products from animals not raised in compliance with this new law, even if they come from out of state.

We recommend its approval.

In 2008, 64 percent of voters passed Proposition 2, sponsored by the U.S. Humane Society, which required that caged farm animals be allowed to stand up and turn around. The law has brought significant marketplace changes, with many major food companies now only buying and selling cage-free eggs.

But there’s more that can be done to provide a more humane environment in California. Some animal welfare advocates are unhappy this measure wouldn’t require egg-laying hens to be raised in cage-free conditions until 2022. But, Prop. 12, also backed by the Humane Society, requires that egg-laying hens be housed in an environment that allows them a minimum of 144 square inches, equal to a square foot, of space per hen. The specific cage size requirements are actually smaller than what was required under Prop. 2. The proposition also doesn’t stop at simply protecting hens. It also requires that breeding pigs and calves used for veal be cage-free by 2020 and allowed to roam inside barns. California does not have sizable pork and veal industries, but, just as it would with eggs, Prop. 12 would ban the sales from other states not meeting California’s standards.

The measure most likely would have little cost other than decreased tax revenue from farms and egg producers who might decide to get out of the egg or meat products business – which is the argument by farm industry opponents to Prop. 12 who say it may drive them out. As for the cost to consumers, McDonald’s, a major purchaser of eggs, has said the fast-food chain wouldn’t be raising prices as a result of producers having to go with cage-free hens.

While we would prefer, as we do with most ballot measures, the Legislature deal with these issues, improving the lives of hens, pigs and calves was the right thing to do in 2008. It still is. Vote yes on Proposition 12.

Proposition 11 would continue to allow private ambulance services to require their emergency medical service employees to remain on call during meal and rest breaks. The measure also guarantees technicians receive additional training and some paid medical health services.

Two years ago, the state Supreme Court ruled security guards can’t be required to remain on call during meal and other break times. Following that decision, a number of private ambulance companies – including American Medical Response, the Colorado-based company backing Prop. 11 – were hit with class-action lawsuits over alleged break-time violations.

Although, again, we would prefer this was handled by the Legislature, voters should approve this measure. The U.S. Department of Health requires that ambulance services reach 75 percent of life-threatening calls within eight minutes. This means providers need to adequately staff ambulances to meet those regulations. But if paramedics and EMT workers aren’t available during work breaks, the independent state Legislative Analyst’s Office estimates 25 percent more ambulance crews would be needed to meet state standards. Ambulance providers would be forced to either absorb the additional losses or pass the estimated total cost of more than $100 million a year on to local governments and their taxpayers.

Labor unions are opposed to this measure, which they argue is a special carve out for one industry. But Prop. 11 also protects workers, by requiring that meal breaks not be during the first or last hour of a shift and that breaks be spaced at least two hours apart. If workers are needed to respond to a call during a break, that break would not be counted as a required break.